Station-indicator



2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

W. T. SNEDDEN. STATION INDICATOR. No. 416.304.

Patented Dec. 3, 18u89.

PENNA AVE).

NV PETERS. Phowrnnognpher, wasmngwn. o. c.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM T. SNEDDEN, OF WYANDOTTE, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY B.

i BERRYMAN, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

STATION-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,304, dated December 3, 1889.

Application filed August 30, 1888. Renewed May 23, 1889. Serial No. 311,893. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. SNEDDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vyandotte, in the county of \Vyandotte and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Station-Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to station-in dicators for steam and horse railways, as well as other conveyances; and the purpose thereof is to provide a simple and novel construction and combination of parts, whereby the separate cards bearing the names of the different stations or points to be indicated may be successively shifted from one compartment to another of a dual casing and then returned to the compartment from which they were taken ina reverse order of succession. e O

It is my purpose to render the mechanism by which this transposition is effected wholly automatic in action and to provide simple means whereby the passa-ge of the tinal card in either direction shall automatically reverse 'the transposing devices and bring them into proper position to return the cards to the compartment from which they were originally taken.

My invention also contemplates means of a simple character for securing the insertion of the shifted cards successively in front of those previouslyl transposed without obstruction or undue friction, whereby the proper order of stations is preserved and the indicator adapted to read in both directions of movement of the car.

It-is my purpose, finally, to provide an i1n proved form of card-indicators of this type which may be furnished at a largely-decreased cost, are more durable in use, and admit of a higher degree of ornamentation with greater economy ofproduction than the all-metal cards frequently used upon such indicators.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is afront elevation of the casing of the indicator with the cases in place. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section in the line .fn a), Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a similar section upon the line y y, Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of Fig. l in the plane ze. Fig. 5 is a detail elevation showing the action of the cards upon the pivotally-mounted lips lying in the central partition as the card begins to rise.

6 is a similar View showing the action upon the further rise of the card. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective of one of the slides, the carrier being removed. Fig.` S is a detail perspective of one of the carriers. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section of one of the end walls in the plane of the reversing-strip. Fig. l0 is a detail perspective of one of the reversingstrips. Fig. l1 is a detail perspective of one of the pivotally-mounted lips with its springsupport. v

VIn the said the drawings, reference-numeral 1 designates the indicator-casing, which consists of a rectangular box divided into two substantially equal and similar compartments 2 and 3 by means of acentral partition 4.

In the front wall of the casing is formed a sight-openin g 5, which is adapted to display the name of the station or street, together with any advertising-matter which may be attached to the card,below the designation of the station. The lower compartment is provided with a sight-opening S, which displays only the advertising-matter, the names of the stations being concealed by that portion of the front wall which drops below the central partition 4.

Arranged within each of the separate compartments 2 and 3 are independent followers 9, each impelled toward the front of the casing by a double series of leaf-springs 9a, arranged at top and bottoni of the follower, as shown in Fig. 2.

Arranged in an opening in the longitudinal center of the partition 4 is a shaft l0, the ends of which extend into end compartments l2 of the main casing and receive spur-gears 13, with one of which is meshed a rack 14, carried by a bar l5, which is extendeddownward and reci procated at proper intervals by the actuating mechanism, which may be of any suitable character, and which, asit forms no part of my present invention, is notshown nor described in this application.

Arranged within the end compartments 12 are slides 16, having substantially an L shape in edge view and guided in their vertical movement by feathers 17 on the front wall of the compartment and by guides 1S on the IOO end walls. On each of these slides, at its interior angle, is formed or mounted a rack l), which meshes with the spur-gear 18, whereby the slides are upon the revolution ofthe shaft l0 simultaneously carried from the lower to the upper part of the compartments within which they lie, and vice versa.

Referring new to the detail view, Fig. 7, that edge of each slide which lies adjacent to the main compartment is cutaway, save at the upper and lower ends thereof, which are left to project horizontally toward the end wall 20 of the main casing, against which the projecting portions 2l nearly abut. The lower face of the upper and the upper face of the lower projection are provided with two converging cam-faces 22 and 23.

Between the projecting portions 2l upon each slide is arranged a carrier 2t, mounted on a central pivot 25 and having a central rearwardly-projecting arm 2G, extending at right angles with the carrier and provided at its end with an inwardly-turned lug 27. In the ends of each carrier are set pins or plungers 28, which are projected outward against the converging canrfaces by means of spring: 29, arranged in sockets in the carrier behind said plungers. As the carrier is rocked upon its central pivot, these plungers move upon the cam-faces 22 and 23, and as they pass the apex between the same the outward projection of the plungers tends to retain the carrier in either of the two positions to which it may be adjusted.

The outer or lateral face of each carrier 24 is so eut away as to leave an upper and lower hoolritl, connected bya thin web of inetallfll. By reference to Fig. et it will be seen that t-hese hooks extend beyond the projections 2l and lie in a space 32 between the forward edge of the end wall 20 and the front wall of the case, which is provided with a shallow chamber to afford said spa-ce, said hooks extending past the edges of the end walls 20 for a short distance and lying in front of the extremities of the cards as they are piled between the follower 0 and the edges 33 of the ehambered front wall, against which edges they rest instead of against the glass of the sight-opening.

By operating the shaft l() the spur-gears 13, meshing with the racks 19, will lift the two carriers or drop them, as the case may be, from one compartment to the other. By slightly inclining the carriers, so as to bring their lower hooks under the lower edge of the card lying in front, while the hooks at the upper ends are retracted, as seen in the detail view, Fig. 5, the lower hooks will engage with the edge of the card,and when the shaft 10 is operated will carry it up int-o the upper compartment. The place of the card thus withdrawn being immediately fllled by the card in rear, which is pushed forward by the spring-actuated follower, the carriers as they rise will engage their hooks in like man ner with the edge of this card in readiness for a second shift. The carriers 2t retain the inclination by which their lower hooks are rendered operative through the action of the spring-impelled plungcrs 28, and as the slides lo' rise to the upper compartment the said hooks 3() will impingenpon the extreme ends of the card lying against the edges of the wall, and by the yield of theplungers 28 the hooks will be pushed slightly toward the front, sliding upon the ends of the card until the lower edge is reached, when, by the elastic action of said plungers, the hooks will spring under the lower edge of the card and engage therewith.

lVithin chambers er recesses in the partition 4, I arrange plates Si, each having two parallel elastic arms 35, which extend toward the front. In the extremities of these arms is pivotally mounted a lip or rigid plate -ltl, the forward edge of which lies in a concave chamber 37 in the front wall of the casing. The elastic plates carrying the lip are firmly secured by their base E54 to a support in the chambered partition 4, and extending from said plate are spiral springs 38, connected under tension to the rearwardly-projecting edge of the lip 3G, which is normally held by the draft of these springs in a horizontal position. I may use a series of' these devices, each member of the series having the con struction described; and I have shown in this case three of such lips or plates mounted, as set forth, one at each end of the card-compartment and one in the center thereof. As the slides traverse the casing, carrying a card from one compartment to the other, the edge of said card impinging upon the lip or plate 36, just in front of its pivotal point, the springarms 35 are deficcted somewhat, and the lip is then turned upon its bearings, its free edge rising in front of the cards lyingin that compartment to which the cards are being transposed, as shown in Fig. 2. As the card which is in transit advances farther, the lower edges of the cards in the upper compartment are retracted or pressed. to the rear, giving space for the entrance of the shifting card and the lips 3G. forming an inclined surface over which the latter card easily slides. By mount ing these lips upon the elastic plates 35,1 am able to reduce the width of said lips from their pivotal points to their front edges, and they form a less angle with the moving card, which therefore slides over these lips with greater ease. Then shifting the cards from the upper to the lower compartment, the action is precisely the same as that already described. ,M

In order to render the mechanism wholly automatic. it is necessary to provide means whereby the shift or transit. of the last card from either compartment to the other shall. be followed by the reversal of the carriers 24, whereby the hooks acting on the cards are swung under the cam-face 23 over the same if the cards have been transposed to the upper compartment, while the hooks upon IOO TIO

the opposite ends of the carriers are brought l card-holder, though I intend to form the cards into position to engage the edges of the cards successively to the empty compartment from which they have been taken.

In the outer faces of thevend walls 2O of the casing are formed horizontal channels 39, in which lie strips 40, having at each end depending lugs 41, which cross narrow slots 42, cut through the walls 20. In these slotslie the extremities of lingers 43, rigidly mounted on the followers 9 and moving therewith, the ends lying in the slots 42 moving between the lugs 4l on the strips 40 and coming in contact therewith just before the follower reaches its forward and rearward limit of movement. In order that the strips 40 may have suflicient frictional contact in the channels i'n which they lie to prevent their accidental displacement, said strips are slightly curved or bent, and when laid in the channels 39 the bend is drawn straight by screws 44, which are screwed into the end walls 2O and lie in slots 45 in the strips. Upon the louter face of each strip is formed or mounted a lug or pin 46, projecting from said strip in such position that it may be brought by the longitudinal adjustment of the latter into the path of the inwardly-turned lug 27 upon the arm 26 of the carrier as the latter rises and falls. The operation of these parts is such that as the upper or lower compartment is filled with cards the follower 9, as the last card but one is shifted, brings the ends of the fingers 43 in contact with the depending lugs 41 on the strips 40, drawing said strips slightly toward. the rear and bringing the lugs or pins 46 in the path of the ends 27 of the arms 26 as the latter rise and fall. The movement of the carriers 24 thereby tilts the arms 26, throwing the upper or lower ends of the carriers toward the front and bringing the hooks upon their outer ends into position to engage the edges of the cards as they lie in the filled compartment and transfer them back to the empty compartment. In each compartment a precisely similar arrangement of parts is made, the lugs 46 being so located upon the strips 40 that they are brought over u-nder the inwardly-turned ends 27 of the arms 26 upon the carriers as the last card is carried to its place. In order to provide for a sufficient movement of the strips 40 to insure the desired result, the first and last card of the series of cards may be made of, an increased thickness. It will be noted that as each follower 9 moves forward after the removal of the last card from in front of it the ends of the fingers 43 engage the lugs 41 upon the forward ends of the strips 40, drawing the latter forward and removing the lugs 46 from the' path of the inwardly-turned ends 27 of the arms on the carriers until such time as the compartment has received all but the last card, whereupon the rearward movement of the follower retracts the follower 40 with the resultalready described.

I make no claim in this case to any form of of pasteboard or other material and mount them in metallic holders.

1. In a station-indicator having a dual cardcompartlnent, a pair of verticallymoving l slides actuated by spur-gears meshing with racks on said slides, carriers having hooks at their ends and centrally pivoted on said slides, and spring-impelled.followers in said casings, whereby said carriers may be swung upon their central pivots to bring the upper or lower hooks into action, substantially as described.

2. In a station-indicator having a dual cardcompartment, the combination, with a pair of vertically-moving slides having racks meshing with actuating spur-gears, of carriers centrally pivoted-upon said slides and provided at their ends with hooks to engage the edges of the cards, spring-ejected plungers or pins in the ends of said carriers bearing upon converging cam faces on the slides, movable strips arranged in the end walls of the casing, having lugs which are brought by the movement of said strips into the path of central arms on the pivoted carriers, and spring-impelled followers in the card-compartments having fingers which engage with and shift said strips in both directions, substantially as described.

3. In a station-indicator, the combination, with a dual card-compartment, of slides having carriers by which the cards are transposed from one compartment to the other, springarms mounted in recesses or chambers in the central partition ofthe casing, and lips pivotally mounted upon 'the extremities of said arms and having their rearward edges connected to rigid supports by springs under tension, the free edges of said lips lying and turning in chambers or recesses in the front wall between the upper and lower compartment, substantially as described.

4. In a station-indicator, the combination, with a casing having two card-compartments, of spur-gears carried by a central shaft, slides having racks meshing with said gears, carriers centrally pivoted upon said slides and having spring-plungers bearing upon converging cam-faces on the slides, strips arranged in channels in the end walls of the casing, provided with lugs crossing slots in the end walls and having outwardly-projecting lugs, and spring-impelled followers having fingers moving in the slots. in the end walls, whereby the outwardly-projecting lugs are brought into the path of the inwardlyturned ends of arms centrally mounted on the carriers, substantially as described. l

5. In a station-indicator, the combination, with a casing having an upper and lower cardcompartment, of slides moving from one to the other, spur-gears meshing with racks on said slides, carriers centrally pivoted thereon and having hooks for the cards at both ends, and spring-impelled plungers bearing upon converging cam-faces on 'the slides, strips hav- IOO IIO

in1 between their ends outwardly-projeeting mounted on the carriers, and lips projecting from the ohmnbered partition dividing the Casing and pivotnlly mounted on elnstie arms rigidlysupported in said partit-ion, and hm'ing,l spiral springs connected with J[he rearward edges of said lips under tension, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I ni'ix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WM. T. SNEDDEN. \Vit.nesses:

JAMES L. NORRIS, JAMES A. RUTHERFORD. 

